How to Put a Lid on Freshly Dried Paint Fumes

[Joey_P]

@ClarenceClancy

I have more trouble with paint fumes than most people.

I slept in a room for 5 hours where paint had already dried 24 hours, and my eyes were burning and didn’t feel quite right.

@ClarenceClancy

Remember this thread is really meant to answer a particular question as a first priority. Not to resolve a real life scenario.

Well, it actually is to solve a real life scenario which is why everyone is so concentrated on tell you not to slather Vaseline on your walls.

**What is the best thing that I can cover the dried painted wood with to eliminate any sort of gas/odor immediately that could be removed or would evaporate at a later date and not cause significant harm to the paint? **

You can’t cover something AND expect it to evaporate. It just isn’t going to work that way. That’s why the paint doesn’t dry in the can. As has been said by just about everyone, the best thing you can do is to accelerate the drying and do your best to contain the fumes to that room. Open the window, close the door and run a fan to keep the air moving.

[ZenBeam]

@ClarenceClancy

Remember this thread is really meant to answer a particular question as a first priority. Not to resolve a real life scenario.

Let me post this again:

**What is the best thing that I can cover the dried painted wood with to eliminate any sort of gas/odor immediately that could be removed or would evaporate at a later date and not cause significant harm to the paint? **

Let’s assume this isn’t a real situation for a minute and just talk about the science here please.

This question has already been answered. Nothing. Asking again isn’t going to change the answer.

[chiroptera]

@ClarenceClancy

Remember this thread is really meant to answer a particular question as a first priority. Not to resolve a real life scenario.

Was your initial OP not describing a specific real-life scenario, or was the room/trim not actually painted, you didn’t reallysleep for five hours and your eyes were not burning?
Also, you didn’t answer a few questions - what type or brand of paint, what surfaces were actually (or hypothetically) painted - that might make it easier to answer the question or address your concern.

@ClarenceClancy

Let me post this again:
**What is the best thing that I can cover the dried painted wood with to eliminate any sort of gas/odor immediately that could be removed or would evaporate at a later date and not cause significant harm to the paint? **

Let’s assume this isn’t a real situation for a minute and just talk about the science here please.

Now that the paint has dried for 36-plus hours, perhaps (remember, to contain the odor whatever you put over the surface has to be impermeable) plastic shrink-wrap. Hypothetically. Although once removed at the hypothetical later date, you may find that the paint has softened or has a sticky film. Since, as explained earlier, water-based paint dries from the outside in so what outgasses has to go somewhere.

Also as someone else said upthread, the odor may be lingering in the carpet, drapes, bedding and other absorbent materials in the room. Much like cigarette smoke. So even if you could hypothetically “eliminate any sort of gas/odor immediately” emanating from the painted surfaces, it may not completely remove the odor from the room.

You still haven’t answered questions abolut what exactly was painted, and what type of paint/finish was used. Or anything about the temperature and humidity in the room. Until you answer those questions, nobody can even make an attempt at addressing the “science” here.

Can you answer any of these questions?

[Little_Nemo]

@ClarenceClancy

**What is the best thing that I can cover the dried painted wood with to eliminate any sort of gas/odor immediately that could be removed or would evaporate at a later date and not cause significant harm to the paint? **

There is nothing you can do. The smell is the drying process. It’s the chemicals coming out of the paint on your walls into the air. So if you somehow managed to stop the smell, it would mean your paint isn’t drying.

[ClarenceClancy]

@chiroptera

Was your initial OP not describing a specific real-life scenario, or was the room/trim not actually painted, you didn’t reallysleep for five hours and your eyes were not burning?
Also, you didn’t answer a few questions - what type or brand of paint, what surfaces were actually (or hypothetically) painted - that might make it easier to answer the question or address your concern.

Now that the paint has dried for 36-plus hours, perhaps (remember, to contain the odor whatever you put over the surface has to be impermeable) plastic shrink-wrap. Hypothetically. Although once removed at the hypothetical later date, you may find that the paint has softened or has a sticky film. Since, as explained earlier, water-based paint dries from the outside in so what outgasses has to go somewhere.

Also as someone else said upthread, the odor may be lingering in the carpet, drapes, bedding and other absorbent materials in the room. Much like cigarette smoke. So even if you could hypothetically “eliminate any sort of gas/odor immediately” emanating from the painted surfaces, it may not completely remove the odor from the room.

You still haven’t answered questions abolut what exactly was painted, and what type of paint/finish was used. Or anything about the temperature and humidity in the room. Until you answer those questions, nobody can even make an attempt at addressing the “science” here.

Can you answer any of these questions?

It’s on some floor boards on the floor about 4x4 feet. Whoever mentioned the plastic wrap had the right idea. its in a hard to reach place so i just tossed some blankets on it. thinking of something else… maybe taping plastic wrap onto a big cardboard piece and sliding it under the bed to cover might work.

[chiroptera]

@ClarenceClancy

It’s on some floor boards on the floor about 4x4 feet. Whoever mentioned the plastic wrap had the right idea. its in a hard to reach place so i just tossed some blankets on it. thinking of something else… maybe taping plastic wrap onto a big cardboard piece and sliding it under the bed to cover might work.

My suggestion to affix plastic wrap over the painted surface was theoretical and I would not seriously recommend this as a solution to your hypothetical situation. You do realise this, right?

If a client did this after I’d be all :rolleyes: and :smack: and even :eek: Especially if the area in question was only 4’ square.

[AncientHumanoid]

@chiroptera

My suggestion to affix plastic wrap over the painted surface was theoretical and I would not seriously recommend this as a solution to your hypothetical situation. You do realise this, right?

If a client did this after I’d be all :rolleyes: and :smack: and even :eek: Especially if the area in question was only 4’ square.

Yeah, just follow the multiple posted advice to air everything out. That really is the one best solution.

.

[chiroptera]

@NoClueBoy

Yeah, just follow the multiple posted advice to air everything out. That really is the one best solution.

.

Yes.
That and wear some sort of mask until the paint fumes dissipate. Or consult with a doctor. Because such an extreme reaction almost two days after a four-foot square of flooring was painted is totally not normal and perhaps the answer lies in looking for a medical solution rather than simply trying to contain odor.

[bump]

@chiroptera

Just about every paint manufacturer has a line of “eco friendly”, low-odor paint nowadays. If the OP isn’t in the US I’m sure it’s the same in most parts of the world.

I was using the Behr Ultra, or whatever the most expensive Home Depot paint & primer combo is called.

[moriah]

Well, if you’re covering it temporarily so you can sleep at night, anything will do… blankets, cut open garbage bags taped to the wall, etc…

But if you don’t let it air out during the day when you’re gone, it will cause problems and it will never dry and you’ll be covering it for ever.

You can sleep better at night if you open a window. If it’s cold where you are, open it a crack and warm up your room with a space heater.

You can absorb the odor with baking powder, activated charcoal, and febreeze laid or sprayed all over the place. Check the smell fresh aisle of the supermarket for products with these ingredients.

You can reduce your reaction to the fumes by taking antihistamines (read the contraindications on the package before you do).